Milicya was formed in 2022 as a group of musicians who met at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Graz and shared the same passion for jazz. During this time, the genres and styles that we played fused and intertwined. The endless curiosity and experimenting brought us to a point of fusing traditional Balkan music with traditional jazz elements, exploring the beauty of arranging the Great American Songbook, and last but not least, finding our own sound in our original music.  ‘I write melodies and lyrics inspired by my deepest worries as well as my greatest joy and have endless trust in my band to understand the emotion I wanted to bring. My influences vary from Balkan traditional music that I grew up with, pop and R&B that I listened to most through my teens and all kinds of jazz that I’m still exploring today.’

Evan Kappelman, tenor sax
Banks Sapnar, trumpet
Anthony Aldissi, piano
Emmy Rota, bass
Maria Marmarou, drums

Carla Bley arr. Banks Sapnar - Utviklingssang
Evan Kappelman - One for Ralph

Anthony Aldissi is a pianist deeply inspired by Chick Corea and the Adderley brothers. Aldissi has recorded as a side man on numerous albums recorded across the states.  Evan Kappelman is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, arranger and educator. Evan has received honors such as being selected as the 2023 Vandoren Emerging Artist Competition 1st Place Winner in Jazz and a 2023 Downbeat Award Winner for the Graduate Jazz Combo division. Maria Marmarou is a graduate student at Temple University, where she is studying jazz drum set performance. She was awarded the Earl Hines Outstanding Musician award at the Jack Rudin Collegiate competition in 2023 at JALC.  Emmy Rota is a bassist. Before college, Emmy was a member of the inaugural year of the Jazz Houston Youth Orchestra, directed by JLCO lead trombonist Vincent Gardner. Banks Sapnar is an up-and-coming trumpet player. Banks has performed at venues such as the Kimmel Center, Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Rose Hall, Dizzy’s Club, among many others. He has shared the stage with legendary jazz artists such as Tim Warfield, Terell Stafford, Marshall Gilkes and Dick Oatts.  

This choir is no conventional choir. They do not use their vocal chords, but they do sing. They sing songs from their childhood. The songs from their memories. The songs that fill the air and are ready to be played. Together they explore the sonic ocean of possibilities that lies within this band, making every concert a new beginning. 

This quintet is formed by students from the third and fourth year at Musikene, young talents that are pushing in the scene in the north of Spain. Creative musicians and hard workers in their way to find own voices and languages, all their teachers are really convinced by their search and knowledge about tradition and look to the present showing persistence to express new forms in jazz. Usually, they play as a quartet in multiple events in our city, and for the Award, Musikene added a close friend of them to form a quintet.

Kate Pass is an award-winning bassist and composer. She leads Kohesia Ensemble, which combines Iranian and Australian musicians and explores a combination of Persian music and jazz.  Gary Jones III is a percussionist and composer who has drawn a tremendous influence from gospel and hip-hop. Gary has a deep passion for creating and serving as a creative vessel.  Noam Avnon is an emerging jazz pianist and composer. In his time in New York, he has devoted himself to developing his personal voice, influenced primarily by his heroes of the 1950-60s. Pau Jorba is a saxophonist and composer. Jorba was mentored by Michael League, the band leader and bass player for Snarky Puppy. Michael supported and encouraged Pau to pursue a musical career in New York City.  Andres Chilama is a guitarist whose sound is both informed by the masters of this music and inspired by today's modern contemporaries. 

The Alice Leggett & Chaerin Im *Orchestra* is co-led by Alice (alto saxophone) and Chaerin (piano and synths), featuring compositions collaboratively written specifically for this line up. With Ask Morris on tenor saxophone, Matteo Mazzù on electric bass, and Pedro Nobre on drums, the *orchestra* prioritises creating a strong band sound. The music seamlessly blends acoustic and electronic elements, incorporating improvisation, soundscapes, and groove.